A cameraman for the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera has been killed in what the network said was an ambush near the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.

The broadcaster named him as Ali Hassan al-Jaber, a Qatari national. It said he was killed in what it called an "armed ambush" on an Al-Jazeera crew in the Hawari area near Benghazi, the headquarters of the rebellion seeking to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Al-Jazeera sources told the Guardian that the car carrying al-Jaber and his colleagues was being followed as they returned to Benghazi from covering a demonstration, suggesting a deliberate attack.

It is the first death of a journalist since the Libyan uprising began. Another Al-Jazeera journalist was wounded in the attack on Saturday.

The station did not say who it thought was responsible. Gaddafi has blamed Al Jazeera, which has won plaudits for its fearless reporting of the Middle East and north African uprisings, for the bloodshed in Libya.

Speaking at the annual Al-Jazeera media forum at the network's base in Doha in the Gulf state of Qatar, its director general, Wadah Khanfar, paid tribute to the "martyred" journalist.

He told the audience: "We are determined to carry on regardless. We cannot sacrifice our lives except for noble cause. There is no nobler cause than the pursuit of truth."

Khanfar said that thousands of residents in the city had spontaneously turned out to demonstrate in support of the station. Earlier, he attacked the "unprecedented" campaign waged by Gaddafi against the station.

In a statement, the station said: "Al Jazeera condemns the cowardly crime, which comes as part of the Libyan regime's malicious campaign targeting Al Jazeera and its staff.

"Al Jazeera reiterates the assault cannot dent its resolve to continue its mission, professionally enlightening the public of the unfolding events in Libya and elsewhere.

"Al Jazeera stresses it will relentlessly prosecute and bring to justice all perpetrators and their accomplices."